Read Ebook: Wichita by Harvey Fred

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 86 lines and 7512 words, and 2 pages

WICHITA

PUBLISHED BY FRED HARVEY WICHITA, KANSAS

"Watch Wichita Win"

"Watch Wichita Win" is the city motto that has been adopted by Wichita and there is every proof that the community is justifying it. In 1900 Wichita had a population of 25,000; today its population exceeds 63,000, and there are good grounds to believe it will soon be a city of 100,000.

The location of Wichita was not an accident. Long before the white man came the Indians chose the junction of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers as a meeting place from which to conduct their campaigns and hunting expeditions into the Southwest territory. Before the railways reached Wichita, it was a center for the cattle trade of Oklahoma and Texas. In 1872 the first railway train entered Wichita over the Wichita Southwestern, a branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and the city became at once a distributing point for the Southwestern country.

Today Wichita is served by six trunk lines, reaching into Western Kansas, Eastern Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and Mexico.

The development of Wichita in the last ten years has been many-sided. Perhaps its most important growth has been in the live stock and grain markets. In 1912, 14,465 cars of grain came to the Wichita market and 10,759 cars of live stock were received at the Wichita Union Stockyards. Wichita is the largest broom corn market in the United States, parts of Oklahoma and Western Kansas being peculiarly adapted for the growth of broom corn. The city's standing as a distributing center is evidenced by its large number of jobbing houses, with business covering Southern Kansas, Oklahoma and parts of Texas and New Mexico. There are more than a hundred jobbing houses located here. Among these, ten firms deal in agricultural implements, six wholesale grocery firms, three dry goods jobbers, three wholesale drug houses.

Surrounding Wichita is one of the great wheat districts of the world and this fact, with the city's superior transportation facilities, is largely responsible for the milling industry. The city's flouring mills have a capacity of 7,000 barrels a day and their product is shipped to California and to New York, to Oregon and to European ports. This branch of Wichita's manufacturing and commercial industry is growing steadily. Eight hundred men are employed in sash and door factories. In foundries 250 men are employed.

The faith of Wichita's builders is shown in its wide streets. In the residence district a large portion of the street has been converted into parking and at many points branches of the trees meet in the middle, forming arches.

In public improvements the city is remarkably progressive. It has eleven parks with an area of 416 acres, and a public gathering place, known as the Forum, with a seating capacity of 5,500. In 1911 it ranked eighth among all cities in the United States in the area of new paving. Its office buildings--among them 10-story structures--are built on most modern lines; building permits in one year reached seven and one-half million dollars.

The water supply of Wichita comes from cylinders sunk forty feet beneath the bed of the Big Arkansas river. The water flows through a deep body of gravel before entering the cylinders, providing a supply of unusual purity. Air pumps syphon the water from the cylinders to cement reservoirs, where it is aerated before passing into the city mains.

The educational facilities of Wichita are complete. A new high school, the building costing 0,000, is at the head of the public school system. Friends University, Fairmount College and Mt. Carmel Academy cover the field of higher education. The main building of Friends University cost 5,000.

In its physical appearance, in the class of retail and wholesale business buildings and public structures, such as the city hall, government building and schools, Wichita gives the impression of a city twice the population. The completion of the New Union Passenger Terminal Station, with the elevation of railway tracks, adds greatly to this feeling. This terminal work cost two and one-half million dollars and was completed early in 1914.

The Wichita Union Terminal Station

The Wichita Union Terminal Station, opened in 1914, is used by the Santa Fe, the Frisco, the Rock Island, and the Orient lines. The building, 600 feet in length, has a frontage of 103 feet on Douglass Avenue, Wichita's main thoroughfare. It is constructed of concrete, Colorado limestone and terra cotta, and is fireproof throughout. Trains enter by means of elevated tracks, connected with the waiting rooms by inclined planes.

Including the approaches and track elevations, the station cost approximately two and one-half million dollars.

The Concourse and Ticket Offices of the Wichita Union Terminal Station

The main concourse of Wichita's new Union Terminal Station is 100 feet long and 55 feet wide. The floors are of marble, the walls of glazed terra cotta, and it is aglow with natural light. The station building, constructed of concrete, limestone and terra cotta, is fireproof and cost, including approaches, approximately two and one-half million dollars.

Main Waiting Room, Wichita Union Terminal Station

The main waiting room of Wichita's new Union Terminal Station is 165 feet long, 125 feet wide and 25 feet high, and is open to sunlight on three sides, making it unusually cheerful and attractive. The floors are of marble; glazed terra cotta is used on the walls. Inclined planes lead to the elevated tracks over which all passenger trains run.

Wichita is among the most important railroad centers in the Southwest, and has large live stock packing and jobbing interests, while some of its manufactured products are sent to all the civilized world.

Dining Room of the Wichita Terminal Station

The dining room in the new Union Terminal Station in Wichita immediately adjoins the main waiting room and concourse. Across the hall are the men's smoking room, telegraph offices and parcel rooms. One end of the dining room is occupied by the lunch counter, while the other end is given over to tables. The floors and walls are finished in terra cotta, glazed tile or marble.

About a hundred persons may be served at a sitting. The management is under the direction of Fred Harvey.

Wichita is one of the most important commercial centers of the Southwest. Its wholesale interests and packing and live stock industries are growing steadily. The new Union Station with terminals cost approximately two and one-half million dollars and was completed in 1913.

Concourse, Wichita Union Terminal Station

Opposite the main waiting room of the Union Terminal Station, Wichita is the concourse which leads to the train platforms. Here are the news and fruit stand and the soda fountain, all constructed of marble or white terra cotta tile, as is the main portion of the Concourse. A side sky-light gives the Concourse sunshine most of the day.

Ladies' Retiring Room, Wichita Union Terminal Station

Adjoining the Main Waiting room of the Wichita Union Terminal Passenger Station is the Ladies' Retiring Room. Here are provided all the comforts and conveniences required by women and children on a journey. A ladies' maid is at the service of the traveler, and there are wash and toilet rooms, easy chairs and couches where one may recline. It is decorated in cheerful tones and is a good example of the consideration that has come to be expected by the traveling public in these days.

A Twilight View of the New Union Terminal Station, Wichita, Kansas

Wichita's new Union Terminal Station, constructed of Colorado limestone and concrete, with terra cotta facing, is architecturally on strong, dignified lines, with the pleasing gracefulness of the Renaissance. The main building fronts a plaza on Douglass Avenue, the city's main thoroughfare, giving the traveler an attractive entrance to the heart of the city. The interior is of concrete, tile and marble. It is fireproof throughout.

"Watch Wichita Win"--The Motto of an Aggressive Community

Spanning the intersection of two of the principal streets in the retail section of Wichita is the motto that best expresses the spirit of the community--"Watch Wichita Win." At night this motto stands out, brilliant in lights, where it may be seen from the trains entering and leaving the city. And that Wichita is living up to its watchword is proved by its record of growth in population. In 1890 it had 15,620 inhabitants; in 1895, 20,839; in 1900, 24,691; in 1905, 34,520, and today it has reached the 65,000 mark. "Wichita Is Winning." The large building in the illustration is the Hotel Eaton.

Looking North on Main Street, Wichita

The Live Stock Exchange, Wichita

Wichita's real development as a live stock market has come within the last seven or eight years and since then its progress has been truly remarkable. In three years, 1906 to 1909, the cattle receipts increased 400 per cent and hog receipts 150 per cent. In order to keep pace with this growth the Union Stock Yards Company has been forced to add acres of pens to its equipments almost every year. The pens are brick-paved and each contains watering and feeding troughs. The exchange building, erected by the Stock Yards Company, contains a national bank, the offices of commission firms, of the stock yards company, of the Terminal Railroad and branch offices of the packing companies.

Union Stock Yards, Wichita

Wichita has two large packing houses with a capacity of 6,000 animals a day. The annual receipts at the Union Stock Yards reach one million a year. Wichita is looked upon as a logical point for a packing house and stockyards center, first, because it is located at the very entrance of the great Southwestern cattle district, and, secondly, because it has the transportation lines reaching into the great stock-growing country. Twelve hundred men are employed in the packing houses and about 500 in the stockyards. It is estimated that 4,000 persons are dependent upon this branch of Wichita's commercial activity.

Wichita as a Milling Center

Kansas has soil and climate peculiarly adapted to the growing of Red Turkey Hard Wheat. An area of more than 8 million acres is devoted to the raising of Red Turkey Wheat in Kansas and there are perhaps four million acres more suitable for the purpose and now given over to grazing. From Wichita railway lines spread like spokes from a hub into these wheat fields. The milling capacity of Wichita is now 7,000 barrels daily; millers say it should have 10,000 barrels output, with a possibility of 20,000 within a few years. The illustration shows one of the modern flouring plants in Wichita.

In the Retail Business District, Wichita

With its 10-story buildings and extensive retail establishments, Wichita's business district suggests a city of twice its size. This development is largely due to the wide commercial influence of Wichita, shoppers coming from all the surrounding territory. The retail stores of Wichita are of unusual attractiveness, both in equipment as well as stock.

The Forum, A Gathering Place for the People of Wichita

The city of Wichita built a structure 260 feet long and 160 feet wide as a meeting place for the people of the city and surrounding territory. It is designed so that it may be used for a horse show or a concert, for a political convention or a lecture. Steel, brick and cement were used in its construction at a cost of 0,000 and it has a seating capacity of 5,500. This capacity can be enlarged about 1,000 when seats are placed on the stage.

Y. M. C. A. Building, Wichita

The home of the Y. M. C. A., Wichita, was built in 1907 at a cost of 0,000. With three stories and basement it contains forty-five sleeping rooms and suites. The auditorium seats 700 and the gymnasium, 42 by 78 feet, contains a 32-lap running track. In addition to the usual tub and shower baths, the building has a swimming pool, 60 by 20 feet, lined with tile and graduating in depth from three to eight feet. The roof is designed so that it may be used as a roof garden on warm evenings. The first meeting to organize a Y. M. C. A. in Wichita was held in 1885. The money for the present building was subscribed in a three weeks' campaign.

In 1913 the Y. W. C. A. of Wichita acquired a home costing 0,000, the funds coming from public subscriptions.

The High School, Wichita

When Wichita opened its first High School, in 1868, there were eight pupils and one teacher. One room afforded the necessary space. The Wichita High School of today gives by contrast some impression of the growth of the city. Now about 40 teachers are employed in training 800 pupils.

The building cost 0,000 and has fifty rooms. Manual training and domestic science are included in the courses of study. Credits from the Wichita High School are accepted by the leading colleges and universities, both for men and women, throughout the country.

A Public School Building, Wichita

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet